<p>Has anyone this year or in the past years with a terrible GPA (like around 3.7s or 3.8s) and high test scores (2300+ SATs, 750+ on SATIIs) ever been accepted into Princeton University? Excluding ethnic minorities, of course. If so, what were your extracurriculars?</p>
<p>“Excluding ethnic minorities, of course” - I’m not saying this is racist, but only on CC and in the deep south do these kinds of things just slip by. Anyways, get over yourself. A 2300+ isn’t a “decent test score”, it is well above the 99th percentile. As for the GPA, it might be slightly low but it is most likely not even close to the low end of the applications. Remember that the acceptance rate is less than 15%, so don’t take it personally if that “terrible GPA” keeps you out of one of the best colleges in the world.</p>
<p>haha yeah gosh a 3.8 is soooo terrible! I’d be looking for a comfortable community college if I were you.</p>
<p>lol ok dude look. Princeton wants two things (the order of importance is debatable). Primarily, they want THE VERY BRIGHTEST KIDS IN AMERICA. THE absolute best. These are quite literally kids who are already involved in crazy stuff like finding a cure for cancer, raising lots of money for a cause for which they are extremely passionate, and writing freaking books. These kids have noticeably high intellects. Secondly, they want diversity. These are the interesting life stories, the adversity-over-comers, and of course the AA admits. </p>
<p>I’ve been through the application process to your Princetons and Yales and, in retrospect, I am embarrassed to have ever come to this website and fretted over subtleties like scores and GPA and ECs. I kinda just want to say (pardon the cliche) “either you got it, or you don’t.” I was rejected from 6 Ivy League schools; I was wait-listed (at best) by “second-tier” schools like Chicago. I had some pretty serious scores, a great GPA, and some ECs that I was really proud of. I was at a loss for words when I was rejected so many times after all that work, but I’ve come to accept that I’m not the absolute brightest. I’ve worked my ass off, yeah. but there are kids that have done way more than I could imagine. As I am a master of cliche, I have to say it. Do your absolute best, be passionate about what you do, and never let up. Do all of that without any expectations and just see where it gets you.</p>
<p>Zen, I know. Good luck.</p>
<p>I had a 35 on the ACT and a 4.8 out of 5.0 GPA and I got in… Then again I’m Korean? Though that might be worse than being white, apparently. I did a lot of band (2 time all state saxophonist) some choir, and a lot o policy debate (2nd at freshman nationals). I was also a drum major at my high school.</p>
<p>Honestly though, it’s a crap shoot. I got into Princeton (YAYY!!!) but I got rejected from Stanford, Yale, Columbia, UPenn and Brown.</p>
<p>^Screw those schools, Princeton’s way better anyway. I also got rejected from Stanford, Yale, and Columbia (but in at H and P).</p>
<p>I got waitlisted at Stanford and Harvard (rejected from both) but I think I would’ve chosen Princeton regardless :P</p>
<p>^How many Bs/A-'s did you have?</p>
<p>Yes. This one boy (a junior like me) was offered definite acceptance last fall (yes, the fall of our junior year) with a less than 1800 SAT and a GPA of about 3.5 with minimal honors classes (read: he dropped out of 99% of the ones he took. He only completed like 2 honors classes).</p>
<p>But never fear! Because he’s “superduper great” at a particular sport so OF COURSE they totally want him! And he committed to them already. Then they requested that he “please get an 1800 SAT” because it would make them feel better about accepting him. He took the SAT for the 3rd time in March and sat next to me, where he promptly leaned over and joked that if he could cheat off of anyone for the test, it would be me. How sweet. So he took it, and I don’t think he hit an 1800 because he was there again when I went to take my SAT2 earlier this month. PS, I got a 2330 sitting next to him, but I will very likely not get into PTon.</p>
<p>Lol. /rant over. Honestly, I’m not mad. Imagine this all said in a sarcastic but joking tone, because truth is, he’s a nice kid, and I really am happy for him.</p>